


Something is wrong

by Party_City_Worms



Category: Linked Universe (Legend of Zelda) - Fandom, Linked Universe - Fandom
Genre: Angst, Hurt No Comfort, Linked Universe (Legend of Zelda), Poisoning, Spooky Happenings, Uncanny Valley, ___ indicates pov shifts or scene changes or time skips, everyones there - Freeform, hyrule sure is a weird fella...., only really tagged the major characters in it, yeah this is uhhhhhh yeah this is kinda gruesome
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-08
Updated: 2020-01-08
Packaged: 2021-02-27 12:15:03
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,324
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22166980
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Party_City_Worms/pseuds/Party_City_Worms
Summary: His smile was a little too big, his mouth opened too wide, if you looked closely you could almost swear you saw something in his mouth, pressed against the inner walls, begging to get out. Hard to notice at first, but they were almost like fleshy extra tongues that tried to grab at his food. He didn't seem to notice anything odd about them himself, confused when they were pointed out. There was nothing wrong with Hyrule.
Relationships: Four & Hyrule & Legend & Sky & Time & Twilight & Warriors & Wild & Wind (Linked Universe), Hyrule & Legend (Linked Universe)
Comments: 13
Kudos: 50





	Something is wrong

___  
Hyrule was strange. It was hard to pinpoint exactly what ABOUT him was strange, but there was something off about him.

His smile was a little too big, his mouth opened too wide, if you looked closely you could almost swear you saw something in his mouth, pressed against the inner walls, begging to get out. Hard to notice at first, but they were almost like fleshy extra tongues that tried to grab at his food. He didn't seem to notice anything odd about them himself, confused when they were pointed out. There was nothing wrong with Hyrule.

In a staring contest with Time, you could have sworn you saw his tongue slide out of his mouth and lick over his eyes. Time lost because of that. But there was nothing wrong with Hyrule.

Wild offered some fresh coffee he bought from the store to Hyrule, who put it in his mouth gently then took it right back out, settling for a poisonous strand of mushroom that could easily kill a grown man. There is nothing wrong with Hyrule.

One morning, a rash had started to form on the teen's face. Some parts were beginning to scab over.

There is nothing wrong with Hyrule.

Legend woke up to the sound of screaming.

Something is wrong with Hyrule.

__  
Legend's eyes forced themselves open, the screams of Hyrule sending his body into autopiloted panic. He rushed to gather his sword, a potion or two, something that could help heal his successor from whatever was attacking him.

But when he got to Hyrule, nothing was attacking him. His hands grabbed at his face, shaking, his weirdly heavy breathing growing heavier. His screams had died down to whispers and cries of pain and fear, the sound of Legend's footsteps helping calm him.

"Hyrule, what's wrong?" Legend asked, his heart still pounding.

"I can't... I can't see..." Hyrule whispered, his hands gripping tightly to his face.

"Let.. let me check your face." Legend said, his voice becoming demanding, and he became aware of the others crowding around to see what had happened to the brown-haired hero.

Hyrule loosed his grip on his own face and quietly grew still, letting Legend remove his hands.

Hyrule expected them to say something comforting, perhaps he was being ridiculous, maybe it was a prank to seal his eyes shut.

Instead, Legend's scream of terror, followed by more horrified yells and gasps, had him slap his hands back over his eyes.

The scabs from the rash had grown, engulfing the majority of Hyrule's face in rough, cracking skin that oozed pus, sealing even his eyes behind the disgusting skin.  
Legend stumbled backwards, this was a dream, it was a nightmare, it had to be, of all the times he woke up praying it was all real, this was one of the few times that he wanted everything to be a lie. Hyrule's face was a gruesome sight, some sort of illness, some sort of disease had taken over his friendly face and what was left was some sort of monster. He shook himself, tried to lurch himself awake, but it wasn't working, dear Goddesses why wasn't it WORKING! Noticing he had grabbed his head out of shock, he felt sick to his stomach and rushed to clean his hands off. Whatever Hyrule had might be contagious, and it looked painful, too painful to risk catching. He lost himself in paranoia.

Back at camp, Hyrule was attempting to shield his face from their view, he didn't want them to have to look at it if it was that bad. Legend's aura had gotten too distance to sense, no doubt he had run from him.

"Does anything else hurt?" Came the unsteady voice of Warriors.

"M...my back... It... it aches." Hyrule whimpered, squirming in discomfort.

Sure enough, when the others helped Hyrule take off his tunic to examine his back, it was another sorry sight, worse even, if that was possible. Swollen and oozing something more pink than red, it almost looked like it was moving around underneath his skin, just slightly. Looking too closely at his freckles gave the illusion that they were opening and closing, a discomfort they would have been all too happy not to see, especially on a friend.  
___  
No one knew what to do.

When Legend returned to camp, he warned the others about the possible contagiousness of the disease, causing a minor (read: major) panic among everyone who had been in contact with Hyrule. Even Hyrule himself was horrified at the thought of someone else having to deal with this.

So they made a plan.

Hyrule would be kept in a cave until he hopefully recovered from his illness, two people would stand guard at all times, checking on Hyrule from a distance and sliding him food when necessary. Hopefully they could just wait it out, hopefully he would recover, hopefully it wouldn't get worse.

But it got worse.

His back ached and throbbed horribly, getting worse, getting better, getting ever worse again. After a few nights, he couldn't even move without pain taking over his body. The scabs on his face grew to take over even more, getting thicker and tougher, making it hard to breathe or react.

It had been a week, maybe even weeks, but hell it could have even just been a few days if Hyrule wasn't being told every so often how long it's been. It all dragged on forever to him. A second was an eternity, so was an hour, so was a day. They wouldn't speak to him much, mostly it was just silence and darkness, darkness and silence. He knew one day he would die alone and afraid, but not like this. He'd grown spoiled from the constant company of friends and the consistant meals.

That isn't even to mention his hunger. He'd starved almost his entire life until he met the others, he knew the pain of hunger, but somehow this was worse.  
The mood of camp wasn't the same since Hyrule woke up, face covered in scabs. They were forcibly hopeful the first few nights, but the longer it dragged on, the worse Hyrule's condition got. Everyone had stood guard for him, heard him moaning in pain and in hunger, taken a peek to see his condition only to instantly regret it as they saw his bizzare, disgusting body.

As horrible as it was, the only thing they could hope to wish for him at this point was a quick and sudden death in his sleep. Not this painfully drawn out experience. No one deserved to die that way. Every time they looked in and saw him lying all too still, they felt hope that he wasn't suffering anymore, only to feel a flash of foolish hope when they saw his chest slowly rise and fall.

It wasn't humane to drag his death out like this.

Something had to be done.

Legend decided to be the one to come forward to Hyrule with the idea. They'd always had a better level of understanding with eachother, even if Hyrule was a bit... odd about everything. Careful not to come too close to inside of the cave, he called for Hyrule.  
___

"Hyrule?"

"...Leg...end?" Came Hyrule's weak voice, making Legend flinch. "Where... where are you? Is everything better now? Can....can...."

"I... That's not why I've come... We've been talking about it... and... well. Fuck it. Hyrule, you're dying." Legend's voice forced itself out strong.

"...I know..."

"...Yeah. I... I know you know. Fuck, I'm sorry, I just. Goddessess... I... Hyrule. You're dying. And I don't, no one wants you to have to suffer through death like this. Do you want us to kill you?" Legend flinched at his own words. "UGH, I'm so bad at this, Hyrule, I'm sorry, let me say it better, do you want us to put you out of your suffering?" He held his breath and looked down, shame creeping through him like worms.

Hyrule was silent for a few moments, stilling, and one more time Legend hoped that he had died, and they wouldn't have to do it themselves.

"Please."

Legend took a shaky breath and looked back away.

"I'll tell the others. Don't worry... It'll all be over soon."  
___

A discussion had to be had over what would be the most painless. An arrow to the head could work but if it missed would just create more pain. They could stab him in the heart or cut off his head, it wasn't like he'd be able to see it coming to be scared of it anyways, though that meant they'd have to get close enough to swing. Someone suggested a bomb, but it was quickly turned down. Something painless, something quick.

They went back to the arrow idea in the end, they needed to keep a distance between him and them, and Wild had an amazing shot.

They all shakily stood up, and made their way to the cave they kept Hyrule.  
Everyone stood solemnly as Wild prepared to shoot, hesitant.

"Hyrule, are... are you ready?"

"Please just make it quick, I... It hurts..."

Wild took a deep breath, drawing back his arrow. He didn't want to do this. He didn't want to have to do this.

But the Goddesses were on their side this time, and right before Wild released, Hyrule sputtered out a cry of confused relief.

"WAIT! I... I can see again!"

Wild released anyways from shock, but he aimed too low from the shaking of his hands.

Everyone made various noises and cries of relief, maybe this wasn't the end for Hyrule.

Hyrule shakily raised his head back towards them, his vision blurry and the effort making him shake worse.

8 sets of eyes stared at him.

Four eyes stared back.

Four eyes, four weird, weird eyes with a glazed, pupilless, gridded look stared back at them. Wild dropped his bow in shock, the others seemed just as horrified, that wasn't even mentioning the weird growths on his head. He looked... Almost like...

"Everyone wait!" Called Time's voice, and he began to march towards Hyrule. The others yelped, trying to pull him back, telling him it wasn't safe.

But Time didn't listen. He marched up to Hyrule and knelt down. His face doing a poor job of masking his shock. "Hyrule, I need you to do something for me."

Hyrule blearily blinked his four eyes. "...Okay."

"It's going to hurt, but it's going to help."

"...Okay."

Time pulled his knife out of his pocket, and made a quick prayer that he was right.

Then he sliced.

And he was.

Upon slicing open the weird bulges on Hyrule's head, out slid one weird appendage each. They twitched, hardening in the open air. Hyrule flinched at the feeling, it was both unpleasant and very relieving, no longer having them try to break out of his skin. Something clicked in his brain, and he jolted in understanding. He wasn't dying. He was...?

"Hyrule, does that feel better?" Time asked, looking down at him.

"Y...yeah. I... why... why am I..." He struggled to get the words out.

"I'm not sure, kid." Time said, letting out a breath of relief. "Show me your back, I'll cut them free too."

"No!" Hyrule yelped, regretting it as his back shot pain through his body. "The-they need more time, I think."

Legend was trying to keep his overwhelming emotions under control. "What's going on!? What needs more time?!"

"He's growing wings, Legend."  
Time paused, staring down at Hyrule's new, bug like face. "Not only that, somehow he's... becoming... a fairy?" He sounded remarkably unsure of himself.

Everyone took a moment to take this in.

Hyrule was turning into a human sized fairy.

And they were ready to kill him.

They were ready to kill him.

Hyrule hesitated, unsure. "...Does this mean...I can finally come back out?"

Time felt his heart wrench. They'd kept him isolated here for weeks, panicked about their own safety and neglecting his, they didn't think there was any way they could have helped so they just.... hadn't. "Of course, do you need help up?" He asked gently, offering his hand.

Hyrule used what little strength he still had to grab it, and Time hoisted him up. He let out a squeal of pain, "Be gentle with my back, it still hurts."  
___

A few more days passed, and Hyrule was glad to be back, glad to have his vision back, glad to have his friends back, glad to finally know what was wrong with him.

He expected everyone to be glad about it to.

They were.

But it didn't feel that way.

If they'd been cautious around him before, they were more than uneasy around him now. Four jumped and drew his sword everytime Hyrule was near, almost slicing at him before realizing it was just Hyrule, no reason to worry. Legend didn't want to look him in the eye, neither did Wild, neither did anyone. Even Time flinched at his face. Maybe it was just guilt for suggesting putting him down, but it was more than that. Hyrule could feel the sudden fear they felt when he turned to face them, the uneasy feeling that followed.

He wanted them to like him again.

He wanted his old self back

A few more nights passed and Time finally went ahead to slice open the growths on Hyrule's back, careful not to cut the fragile wings inside.

With the slice, out emerged clear, wet, pink-tinted wings, like those of a dragonfly. As Time drew back his knife and saw the pink staining it, his heart dropped a little. Hyrule never really was human, was he?

The wings stiffened up, drying in the air. Hyrule didn't bother flapping them or moving them right away, they'd be useless until they dried. Time sighed and handed him an apple. "Wild wanted me to give this to you. Enjoy." And with that, Time walked away.

Hyrule's heart twisted, aching for someone to stay with him. He knew they were trying, at least he really hoped that's what they were doing. He hesitated, trying to figure out what the best way to eat the apple was. His teeth were... not the best for biting. He stuck a nail into the apple's skin and carved a chunk off, letting his 'grabbers', as he called them, check it to make sure it was safe to eat before pulling it inside his mouth. At least that didn't change when he became a glorified dragonfly. He didn't know how he'd test if things were edible without them.

An idea formed in Hyrule's head. He had a spell to turn him into a full fairy before, perhaps he knew a spell to turn him back into a normal human? He wracked his brain trying to think, one certain spell coming to mind that he rarely used.

This spell was basically useless, if anything all it did was make it strange to breath and find good food. He'd never had a practical use for it before except being able to take in more oxygen at once, and he didn't really think it would do anything to help, but it was worth a shot.

Preparing himself, he felt relief knowing he could use his magic again, oddly enough, it seemed stronger than before. He quickly moved to find clear water so he could see his reflection, see if anything changed.

And when he cast the spell, he watched in amazement. The usual sealing of his freckles and absorption of his grabbers wasn't all this spell did! His eyes merged and morphed back to two, and it was blissfully painless as his wings retracted into his body. He smiled wide in delight, not as wide as before, it hurt for some reason when he tried to do it the normal amount, but the sudden shift to having to breathe slower and steadier from his chest took up his attention as he tried to find rhythm.

Hyrule rushed back to camp, eager to be welcome back in with open arms this time. "Look! I'm normal again!"

Legend seemed startled, but it was oddly hard to tell. "How?"

Hyrule frowned. "Uh... Magic!" He said, trying not to be defeated so easily.

Legend was unsure. This was what Hyrule looked like before.

On second thought, this was nothing like Hyrule looked before.

His freckles were gone, his hair was a different shade of brown, his eyes had lost their shine, most of the color was drained from his cheeks, and his mouth was too small to be his own.

Even the way he moved was wrong.

The look of desperation in Hyrule's eyes was familar and yet alienating all the same. This wasn't Hyrule.

Was it?

Legend stared deeper at Hyrule's face, picking out more oddities, crawling with unease. Hyrule stared back, face falling more and more with each passing moment.

"Is something wrong with me? I'm human again, I'm normal." Hyrule said, voice pleading.

Something about his voice was off too. Missing the way his words seemed to lisp on their way out of his mouth.

Legend wanted to grab his sword but he didn't. "...If you're Hyrule, then prove it to me."

"Wh-what- Why?! I?! It's me Legend, Hyrule! I'm good as new! Don't you trust me?!"

"Prove it."

Hyrule wanted to cry out in sadness, how could he not recognize him?! "How? How should I prove it?"

"...There are mushrooms over there."

"...I'm listening."

"Hyrule, you, if you are Hyrule, loves those mushrooms. Toxic to most humans, but he eats them happily."

"...Well I don't love them, but they are a good snack. Okay. I'll do it."  
Hyrule stared down at the mushrooms. Easy food, he's never one to turn down a meal when it offers itself to him, no matter what it was. He's eaten worse.

He picks up the mushrooms and feels his hand tingle and feel hot. They've never harmed him before, why is this any different? To prove to Legend how Hyrule he is, he plucks several and places them all into his mouth at once.

A sudden unpleasant feeling fills his mouth.

Everything gets worse from there.

His body instantly tries to reject the mushrooms, forcing to turn back into his miserable fairy human self, but he pushes against it, trying to fight back the magic as much as he tries to keep the mushrooms in his mouth.

Legend stared in horror as 'Hyrule' began to violently pulse red light and choke on the deadly mushrooms in his mouth, and even though the imposter looked nothing like Hyrule, he still looked human, and his instincts kicked in to help stop the choking, wrapping his arms tight around 'Hyrule'.

It wasn't a pretty sight.

It all happened in a blur, Hyrule finally gave in to his magic forcing him back and- hey, the mushrooms didn't hurt that bad anymore- he collapsed on the ground into the pile of bile and fungus.

Hyrule clenched his belly in pain, feeling his body burning up from the inside. His grabbers read the mushrooms as safe, good to eat, nourishment, but his vision was already going blurry, all four eyes growing fuzzier and fuzzier, the pain becoming unbearable.

Legend dropped to his knees and grabbed Hyrule up, ignoring the pain and digusting feeling from what he was kneeling in. It was Hyrule.

He poisoned Hyrule.

"Holy shit, I'm sorry, Hyrule, I, I didn't think it was y-you, Hyrule," Legend began to stammer, not comprehending what was happening anymore.

Hyrule's bug-like face looked up at Legend, contorted in all sort of pain, and forced a smile. Legend felt bad to flinch.

"I-i'm glad you t-trust me now, c-can we g-go back to c-ca..."

His body stopped moving but still twitched, already starting to rigid up in Legend's arms.

What had he done?

**Author's Note:**

> Originally a live write, hope you enjoyed it! Thanks Woods for helping me with creating the ideas for this <3


End file.
